The Decision
by awsometearsofhair
Summary: Annabeth invites Percy and Grover to stay with her and her family for a year in San Francisco. While Percy is there, something changes his - and his mother's - lives forever. AU. No half-bloods. Percy and Annabeth are dating. Rated T just because
1. Family Dinner

**A/N: HELLO MY PEEPS! ITS AWSOMEKELLY RIGHT NOW FOR THE FIRST CHAPTER UP! I HOPE YOUR EXCITED! Well, this chapter took me about 2 weeks 2 finish. dont laugh if its bad, ok? OK! ENJOY! ON WITH THE STORY!**

**Disclaimer: do i really need 2 explain 2 u guys AGAIN why i feel there is no need 2 disclaime? Well, im going 2 anyway.**

Out of all the times Percy had had dinner with Annabeth's family, that one had to be the most awkward one yet. It wasn't like Percy _knew_ that the night was going to end up like it did. It wasn't like _he _planned it. _S__he _didn't even mean for it to turn out the way it did. But there Percy was, on a Tuesday night at Annabeth's house, having dinner with her whole family, for the fifth time in two months. They'd been dating for a little over two years, and now they were closer than ever. Even Annabeth's father, Fredrick, could see how badly Annabeth wanted to ask him. But…she just couldn't.

But, lucky for her, Percy hadn't notice her nervous expression, and they'd been having dinner for nearly a half hour.

"So Percy, I hear your mom's new book is being published next week?" Annabeth's step-mom Helen asked, trying to make small talk.

"Yep, it is," was Percy's answer, but he wasn't focused enough to give her a complete response.

Annabeth's little brothers, Bobby and Mathew, both looked bored. As if they couldn't take the awkwardness much longer.

Finally, after another five minutes of silence, Bobby dropped his fork onto his plate, causing Annabeth to jump in surprise.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked her.

"I…I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Annabeth said.

"You've been acting pretty jumpy since I got here."

Matthew groaned, "Why don't you just ask him?"

Everyone grew silent after that. Percy grew a confused expression on his face, staring at Annabeth.

"Ask me what?" Percy asked her.

"Oh, umm…well I was wondering…" She didn't finish.

"Tell him!" Bobby nearly yelled.

"I…uh…My family and I are going to be going to San Francisco for a year, and I was wondering if you and Grover wanted to come," Annabeth said.

Percy didn't answer for a long time. _San Francisco?_ _For the entire _year? How could Percy leave his mom for an entire _year?_ He knew he should say no, but a voice in the back of his head was just begging for him to say yes. Who wouldn't want to live with their girlfriend for a whole year?

"I know that it's pretty short notice, but I would really love it if you guys came with me. I really don't want to go back to California without anyone that I know," Annabeth said quickly.

"You have Bobby and Mathew," Mr. Chase said.

"Joy..." Sarcasm filled her voice.

"I…," Percy began to say.

"It's okay if you don't want to go," Annabeth said.

"I…I just need to think about it, okay? And ask my mom if she's fine with it…if I go," Percy said in a shaky voice. Why did he say that? Why was he being such a wimp? _Of course_ he wanted to go.

"Okay," was all Annabeth said in reply.

Dinner was quiet and awkward once again after that. Annabeth's parents tried to make small talk many times, but the awkwardness never went down. Percy had to leave eventually, with Annabeth following him out the door.

"It's okay if you don't want to go," she said when they were finally outside.

"No, I do want to go. It's just that I don't know if I could just leave my mom for an entire year," he replied.

"Your mom has Paul."

"Yeah, but he's always working. I really do want to go."

Annabeth sighed. "Is this because your mom's been getting sick lately?"

"No! Well, kinda. I just don't think it would be right for me to go when she's getting sick."

"It's probably just the flu, Percy. You shouldn't worry about your mom, it's nothing she can't handle," Annabeth said, putting her hand on his cheek.

Percy stared at her, leaning into her touch. Annabeth always knew how to make him feel better. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said.

"I always am," Annabeth said. Percy nodded, giving her a small grin. He said good night to Annabeth, and walked over to his car.

Percy didn't start the car right away. He just sat there, with his hands on the wheel, breathing in the nippy air. How could he refuse to go? He didn't exactly know how his mom would answer. Whether she would be happy and tell him to go, or she would get upset and ask him to stay. He knew that that was a silly thought. His mom rarely ever got upset with him. Percy barely remembered the last time his mom had yelled at him. Then another thought popped into his head. What if it wasn't just the flu? What if she got really sick? It was unlikely, but possible.

Percy hastily started his car. He turned up the temperature a bit to warm himself, and drove home as quickly as he could.

When he walked in the front door to their apartment, he found his mother sitting on the living room couch, in her bathrobe, holding her ribs.

"Hi Percy, how was dinner?" she asked, coughing a bit.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, dodging her question.

"I'm fine. I just have a small…stomach ache," his mother said. After all those years, she hadn't gotten better at lying. But since she looked like she really wanted to change the subject, Percy let it go.

"Hey, mom, I need to ask you something," he said shakily, sitting down next to her.

"Ask away, honey," she said.

"Well, while I was at dinner with Annabeth," he started, "She asked me…"

"Yes?" his mom asked

"Well…she asked me if I wanted to go to San Francisco with her and her family for a year and I really don't know if I should go or not because now you're getting sick and Annabeth said I shouldn't worry about that," Percy was rushing so fast, Sally could barely tell what he was saying. "Bu…But I just don't know if I should leave you. I mean I really, _really_ want to go but…I just don't-"

"Percy! Calm down. If you want to go to San Francisco with Annabeth for that long, I'm okay with that. Don't worry about me, I'll be perfectly fine here with Paul. Okay?"

Percy nodded, but he wasn't so sure. What if she _wouldn't_ be okay? He kept asking himself the same question over and over again, but the look on her face made it nearly impossible for him not to believe her.

He said good night to her and went to his room to get some sleep, and to think about whether it really was right for him to go or not.

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**AWSOMEKELLY OUT!**


	2. Destructive Uncertainty

**Hello peoples! This chapter was written by … NOT AWSOMEKELLY … buuuut … RAININGTEARSOFCHOCOLATE! Are you befuddled? Have we mastered the art of befuddlement? Oh, please tell me you're befuddled. Are you befuddled?**

**No, huh? Ah, well. Back to law school.**

**DISCLAIMER: Oh, come on. Didn't awsomekelly already go over this with you? Ugh. Fine. I don't own PJO. Nor do the other two peeps that have control over this account. Happy now? Huh? YA HAPPY?**

* * *

_Percy…_

"Mom? Where are you?"

_Percy…_

"Mom?"

_PERCY…_

"Mom, I'm coming!"

_Why did you leave me, Percy?_

"I'm coming! Just hang on!"

_How could you leave me?_

_**Look what you've done, Percy.**_

"Paul?"

_**She needed you!**_

_Help me, Percy!_

"Mom, I'm coming! I'll help you!"

_**It's too late, Percy.**_

"No!"

_**It's too late.**_

"No!"

_**You can't save her.**_

"MOM!"

There. There she was!

"MOM!"

Percy knelt by her side. She lay outstretched on the ground.

"Mom, it'll be okay."

_**No, it won't.**_

Percy turned his head. Paul was standing in the doorway.

_**You're too late, **_Paul told him.

"No!"

_**She's dead. She's dead because of you!**_

Percy turned back to his mother. She was gone.

_**You left her,**_ Paul spat. _**You left her to die!**_

Percy wanted to protest more, but he felt faded. Like he was slowly being pulled out of the world … slowly losing the image … losing touch … he couldn't feel anything, couldn't see anything … and then he saw blue, and he felt something soft beneath him. Above him a ceiling fan rotated, like a spiral that sends you into a trance. He was dizzy, he couldn't think straight. He told himself to move, to get up, but nothing happened. It was like someone pulled out the USB cord and his power source was gone, and he was on his own …

Lying safe in his bed, he broke down. It was bound to happen someday. Tears flowed from his eyes, ran diagonally down his face, and came to a rest on his pillow, staining and dampening the surface. He reached to pull the cover over his eyes, to emerge himself in total darkness. But the cover wasn't there. Glancing quickly over the side of the bed, he saw that he had kicked his blankets onto the floor. So he just lay on his mattress. Trying to be strong, he stifled the weeping.

Hey. At least he was awake.

* * *

Half an hour later, the confused teenage boy walked groggily into the kitchen of his home. He wasn't totally awake yet, and each of his steps carried his entire weight. He rubbed one of his eyes with the palm of his hand and sat down at the table, waiting for the usual routine: Sally would walk into the room, scold him for sleeping in so late in a playful manner, then laugh, and they'd have breakfast together.

But then he corrected himself. Ever since she'd gotten sick, she stayed in bed even later than he did, sometimes even all day.

Today, however, he found a note. Alas, it wasn't from Sally, it was from Paul, and this was how it read:

_Percy,_

_Your mother has an appointment with the doctor today. She probably won't be back until about 1._

_If you see this note, and it's after 11, come to my room. I want to talk to you about something._

_Paul_

Percy glanced at the clock. It was almost ten o'clock. He'd have to wait.

To Percy it was obvious what the "something" that Paul wanted to talk about was. Sally had probably told Paul the previous night about the trip he might be going on.

Sighing, he trudged into the living room, where he collapsed onto the couch and turned on the TV, trying to take his mind off of things. Yet his dream kept flashing into his mind.

_Maybe I shouldn't go,_ he thought.

The sound of a gunshot snapped him out of his thoughts. Confused, he looked up to be _NCIS_ playing on the screen. Figuring it was the last thing he needed at the moment, he started flipping through the channels. Death, death, death, paranormal, boring, boring, death, boring, kiddy show, kiddy show, kiddy show …. Percy pressed the power button on the remote control. Enough of this.

Finally, eleven o'clock rolled around. Percy stood and, now more awake, walked to his parents' room and knocked softly on the door.

"Come in," came a call from inside.

Percy entered to find Paul sitting on the edge of his bed. He beckoned. Percy sat down next to him and looked at him expectantly. "I saw your note," Percy said.

Paul laughed. "I assume you know why I want to see you?"

Percy nodded. "About the trip, right?" Then something occurred to him. "Hey, shouldn't you be at work?"

"Took the day off. Wanted to talk to you and Sally. Listen, son." Paul moved a bit closer to Percy. Percy, feeling a bit uncomfortable, scooted a bit in the other direction. Sighing, Paul continued: "You shouldn't be worried about your mom. It'll be okay. It's just the flu. I can take care of her."

"But what if it gets worse? What if –"

"Percy, it's okay. It's nothing we can't handle. You know your mom. She can handle anything."

Percy nodded. It was true. She had dealt with Gabe, the crudest person on Earth (and the worst stepdad for a kid ever), for years before Percy talked her into divorcing him. Beforehand she had been too stressed to go through with the process, but finally she had done it. And good thing, too. A month later he was killed in a car crash. Now THAT would have been a lot of paperwork.

"And even if it _does_ get worse, you've met her doctor. He's a great guy. Remember?"

Percy did. Paul was right.

"Besides, you love Annabeth, right?"

Percy nodded.

Paul smiled; he knew he was winning. "Well then, what's better than spending an entire _year_ living with her?" Then he smirked. "You two might even get a chance to … you know …."

Percy looked at him, pale face contorted, utterly horrified. "PAUL! God! We're _seventeen_!"

Paul chuckled. "Okay, okay, relax. I was just kidding. Still, you know you want to."

Percy punched him on the arm. Hard. "Shut up!"

"Do you see? You've got it made! A whole year with your girlfriend, without your parents to watch you. Most guys would _kill_ for a chance like that."

_**You left her to die!**_

Percy gulped. "Don't say kill."

_**She's dead. She's dead because of you!**_

Paul looked at his queasy stepson. "Are you okay?"

He nodded weakly. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Paul let it drop. If Percy didn't want to talk about it, he wasn't going to push him. "So what do you say, Perc? You ready for the time of your life?"

"But Mom –"

"But nothing. I'll be here to watch over her."

"But your work –"

"I'll start taking less hours. There'll be less pay, but we won't need as much with only two people."

Percy sighed. It made sense.

"You want to go, don't you?"

He nodded. "Of course I do. A whole year with Annabeth – it'd be _awesome_. But … Mom …"

Paul raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"

Finally he caved. "Okay. You're right. I'll go."

Grinning, Paul slapped his stepson on the back. "There you go!"

Percy stood. "I better go call her, tell her my decision."

"You do that. And Percy –"

He turned at the doorway. "Yeah?"

"Don't turn me into a grandfather anytime soon, okay?"

Percy smiled for the first time that day. "You got it."

He left to go call his girlfriend, leaving his stepfather to be alone.

Paul thought, _I just hope I __**can**__ take care of her. Otherwise …_

He didn't finish his thought.

He couldn't.

* * *

**Hmm. I tend to use a lot of one-line paragraphs, huh. Humph.**

**Okay. Now that awsomekelly and I have gone, the next chapter will be written by OMGIhavebluehair. Chapter 3 coming soon!**

**Oh, and before I forget - I don't own _NCIS_, either.**

**Awsomekelly - I LIKED THIS CHAPTER! I THINK ITS BETTER THAN MINE! YAY!**

**Awsomekelly OUT!**

**Hey! What are you doing in MY chapter? GET OUT OF HERE! WAIT FOR YOUR TURN!**

***chases awsomekelly off-screen***


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